The Champions League T20 may be the ugly step-sister of the cricketing world, with most fans giving it the cold shoulder, but for many of the players involved the final will be the biggest payday of their lives. With the champions getting a cool $2.5m, the money on offer will bump players, especially those who aren't part of national teams or aren't globetrotting T20 specialists, up a tax bracket or two. Adding to the occasion will be the sell-out crowd at one of cricket's iconic venues, the Wanderers Stadium, which will make it among the biggest audiences some of the domestic players will play in front of.

And contesting the final are the two most consistent sides of the tournament. Lions weren't topping anybody's list of favourites when the tournament began, but they have exceeded expectations through a combination of teamwork and temperament, keeping their head when things start to get tight. They have plenty going for them. The Wanderers is their home ground, and no one knows the conditions there better than Lions. The diversity in their batting - Twenty20 batting doesn't get too much more of a contrast than the leg-side biffing of Ghulam Bodi and the surgical precision of Neil McKenzie - has been married to consistency through the tournament. And the bowling has four match-winners: their two imports Dirk Nannes and Sohail Tanvir, their best bowler in the domestic tournament, Chris Morris, and one of the bowlers of the CLT20, Aaron Phangiso.

Their one reverse in this tournament came against their opponents in the final, Sydney Sixers. When the Big Bash League was launched a year ago, Sydney Sixers were the butt of jokes for their flamboyantly pink outfits, a colour which they started to refer to as 'mangenta'. A year on, they have earned the respect of Twenty20 fans after winning the inaugural BBL, and are yet to drop a game in the CLT20.

They came into the tournament as one of the leading contenders and have so far lived up to the tag, despite losing the services of Dwayne Bravo and Brett Lee to IPL teams, and that of possibly the most valuable player currently in T20 cricket, Shane Watson, midway through the tournament. They could also be without their captain, Brad Haddin, for the final, as he picked up a thumb injury - though he was fit enough to bat on Friday.

Watch out for…

Steve O'Keefe has opened the innings only three times in T20s: the semi-finals and final of the BBL, and Friday's CLT20 semi-final against Titans. On all three occasions he has made a significant contribution, including a Man of the Match performance against Titans. In addition, his left-arm spin has been taken for less than a run-a-ball this tournament.

Fast bowler Chris Morris was the top wicket-taker in South Africa's domestic Twenty20 competition last season, and he came into the CLT20 on the back of a 12-wicket haul against Dolphins in a first-class game. He started off quietly in this tournament but hit the headlines with his spell against Delhi Daredevils in the semi-finals, helping his team defend a sub-par score by taking the key wicket of David Warner and then killing off the game with scalp of Kevin Pietersen.

Weather and conditions

Despite gloomy weather forecasts, the showers thankfully stayed away during both semi-finals. The organisers will hope that trend continues for the final as well, when light rain is predicted.

Stats and trivia

Mitchell Starc is the leading wicket-taker not just in the tournament but in all Twenty20s this year, with an astonishing 56 wickets in 26 matches

Six of the Lions players who were part of the semi-final have a batting average over 26 in T20s, while the highest among Sydney's players in the semi-final was Nic Maddinson's 25.76

Quotes

"I think the middle overs will be important. We've dominated that period in almost all our games and I think that will play a massive role once again."Lions captain Alviro Petersen on where he thinks the game will swing

"Lions are very desperate to win. This is a chance for the domestic teams to showcase their skills at the international stage."Sydney Sixers allrounder Steve Smith knows the importance of the occasion

@u.t.k.a.l on (October 28 2012, 13:29 PM GMT) I think it's a bit of banter directed at the Pak fans from an Indian fan who exhausted his writings on the match itself. Being as his IPL sides did so magnificently well in this tournament it's fair enough really

POSTED BY
sadrul
on | October 28, 2012, 14:32 GMT

lions good but sixers so good . we wach a suparb final . sa vs aus. good luck sixer's

POSTED BY
sadrul
on | October 28, 2012, 14:28 GMT

if u say, hope sixer win! i say i bet on sixer . win coz they ausi.

POSTED BY
Aspraso
on | October 28, 2012, 13:47 GMT

Saffers make the job so easy for the Ozzies -- not only does the Saffers national teams choke so do the club sides -- how else to explain way the Titans gifted the semi final match to the Sydney Sixers.

POSTED BY
u.t.k.a.l
on | October 28, 2012, 13:29 GMT

@ counterstrike1.6 on (October 28 2012, 10:02 AM GMT)
I told you guys Sialkot Stallions is The Best County team even without any overseas player. Today they gonna thrash Sixers like anything !Come Sialkot.. come on ! Shoaib Malik will score 100.

Speaking as an ex professional colour printer, magenta is 50/50 blue and red, that kit is definitely a deep hot pink.

POSTED BY
Ali_86xz
on | October 28, 2012, 10:22 GMT

Sixers almost had a 100% chanec with Watson... but lets see now!!!

POSTED BY
Porky_PigTheToon
on | October 28, 2012, 10:02 GMT

I told you guys Sialkot Stallions is The Best County team even without any overseas player. Today they gonna thrash Sixers like anything !Come Sialkot.. come on ! Shoaib Malik will score 100.

POSTED BY
hnlns
on | October 28, 2012, 9:48 GMT

This will be a pretty even contest, too close to call who would be the winner perhaps. Both teams are hugely talented and fiercely competitive. Should weather remain kind and allow a full contest, it will be very very watchable final I think.

POSTED BY
JG2704
on | October 28, 2012, 16:41 GMT

@u.t.k.a.l on (October 28 2012, 13:29 PM GMT) I think it's a bit of banter directed at the Pak fans from an Indian fan who exhausted his writings on the match itself. Being as his IPL sides did so magnificently well in this tournament it's fair enough really

POSTED BY
sadrul
on | October 28, 2012, 14:32 GMT

lions good but sixers so good . we wach a suparb final . sa vs aus. good luck sixer's

POSTED BY
sadrul
on | October 28, 2012, 14:28 GMT

if u say, hope sixer win! i say i bet on sixer . win coz they ausi.

POSTED BY
Aspraso
on | October 28, 2012, 13:47 GMT

Saffers make the job so easy for the Ozzies -- not only does the Saffers national teams choke so do the club sides -- how else to explain way the Titans gifted the semi final match to the Sydney Sixers.

POSTED BY
u.t.k.a.l
on | October 28, 2012, 13:29 GMT

@ counterstrike1.6 on (October 28 2012, 10:02 AM GMT)
I told you guys Sialkot Stallions is The Best County team even without any overseas player. Today they gonna thrash Sixers like anything !Come Sialkot.. come on ! Shoaib Malik will score 100.

Speaking as an ex professional colour printer, magenta is 50/50 blue and red, that kit is definitely a deep hot pink.

POSTED BY
Ali_86xz
on | October 28, 2012, 10:22 GMT

Sixers almost had a 100% chanec with Watson... but lets see now!!!

POSTED BY
Porky_PigTheToon
on | October 28, 2012, 10:02 GMT

I told you guys Sialkot Stallions is The Best County team even without any overseas player. Today they gonna thrash Sixers like anything !Come Sialkot.. come on ! Shoaib Malik will score 100.

POSTED BY
hnlns
on | October 28, 2012, 9:48 GMT

This will be a pretty even contest, too close to call who would be the winner perhaps. Both teams are hugely talented and fiercely competitive. Should weather remain kind and allow a full contest, it will be very very watchable final I think.

POSTED BY
JG2704
on | October 28, 2012, 9:23 GMT

As a pure neutral , I just want to see a good final - getting somewhere near the quality of the 2nd semi final. It's also a nice little teaser for the upcoming SA/Aus series. A really tough one to call so I won't even try. Well done to both teams for deservedly reaching the final

POSTED BY
Marcio
on | October 28, 2012, 9:23 GMT

Here's hoping for a little bit of magenta magic tonight!

POSTED BY
JG2704
on | October 28, 2012, 9:19 GMT

@Zan46 on (October 27 2012, 23:07 PM GMT) - I see your point , but both teams failed to qualify fair and square and it was the same for all the non IPL,SA,Aus sides. Also Yorks who beat T+T finished bottom of their group so if your doing it by maths these 2 sides would also have failed in the group stages although it would have been better if the qualifying system was a bit better. No opinions on the game itsellf then?

POSTED BY
on | October 28, 2012, 9:01 GMT

Today Who is win CLT20 Cup?

POSTED BY
HumzaRafaqat
on | October 28, 2012, 8:20 GMT

Sydney sixer's will win i think so.But remeber what happens to srilanka as it is T20 so nothing is impossible.

POSTED BY
fetchy49
on | October 28, 2012, 7:49 GMT

C'mon sixers! you will win. Smithy will play a big role i think.

POSTED BY
andrew27994
on | October 28, 2012, 6:42 GMT

I think this will be a win for the Lions. Sixers may be a slightly stronger bowling unit than Lions but Lions have a much better batting lineup so I predict a Lions victory.

POSTED BY
priceless1
on | October 28, 2012, 5:32 GMT

Wolah!, Thats a lot of money for the Winners

POSTED BY
Chris_Howard
on | October 28, 2012, 4:45 GMT

Well, the Victorian in me just can't cheer the Aussie team from NSW. Go theLions! Kick NSW butt!

POSTED BY
on | October 28, 2012, 3:29 GMT

why every one keep neglecting LIONS. They are having 4 good and genuine inform bowler. experience batting line ups. and people who can hit the ball very hard. They are good team. less known and powerful. today the fortune of SA team will change.

POSTED BY
I-Like-Cricket
on | October 28, 2012, 2:02 GMT

@Zan46. Didn't both of those teams get to play in the qualifiers? Didn't they both come second in their groups? Didn't the teams who beat them in the qualifiers get bundled out with rather poor performances in the group stages of the main tournament? I fail to see how the final would've been different.

POSTED BY
MichaelBurton
on | October 28, 2012, 1:21 GMT

@Zan46: T&T is ok. But, who is Stallions?????

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 23:30 GMT

Intereting Final... Sixers have upper hand but i really want to see home team to win, Go Lions

POSTED BY
Zan46
on | October 27, 2012, 23:07 GMT

As a reminder. the top teams did not meet each other in any form of the CLT20. I believe that if Trinidad and Stallions was in the final 10 instead of 3rd and 4th IPL teams which was a disgrace to the IPL being in the CLT20 we would have seen 2 other teams in the finals.

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 22:58 GMT

I've always said before the start of this tournament that the Sixers will win it and it looks like my prediction will come true sorry Lions but there will be no party in your territory.

POSTED BY
RoJayao
on | October 27, 2012, 22:43 GMT

Hate the IPL, really hate the BCCI and utterly loathe the CLT20! But go Sixers!

POSTED BY
Sudhir65
on | October 27, 2012, 20:06 GMT

All thanks to IPL and BCCI which bankrolls this CL T20. Stop the hatred of BCCI and IPL.

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 19:40 GMT

Good final, cricket is finally getting big at club level like football. Hopefully it goes to that model completely to open the game up for everybody to play. Also for international cricket to only be played in 'meaningful' tournaments to make it more special again

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 17:48 GMT

i think the team team will chase that win the game..

POSTED BY
nikhil_tawde
on | October 27, 2012, 16:26 GMT

Dilya Ghari Tu Sukhi Raha

POSTED BY
nikhil_tawde
on | October 27, 2012, 16:25 GMT

Should be cracker of a game.

POSTED BY
Shaikhzaid
on | October 27, 2012, 14:53 GMT

Sixers will win because of their brilliant young bowlers and young fielders and dangerous hitting batsmen

POSTED BY
Shaikhzaid
on | October 27, 2012, 14:52 GMT

Sixers will win because of their brilliant young bowlers and young fielders and dangerous hitting batsmen

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 14:46 GMT

It will be a tie match or tight match . It will be great match and close too

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 14:26 GMT

Backing SYDNEY Sixers to win

No featured comments at the moment.

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 14:26 GMT

Backing SYDNEY Sixers to win

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 14:46 GMT

It will be a tie match or tight match . It will be great match and close too

POSTED BY
Shaikhzaid
on | October 27, 2012, 14:52 GMT

Sixers will win because of their brilliant young bowlers and young fielders and dangerous hitting batsmen

POSTED BY
Shaikhzaid
on | October 27, 2012, 14:53 GMT

Sixers will win because of their brilliant young bowlers and young fielders and dangerous hitting batsmen

POSTED BY
nikhil_tawde
on | October 27, 2012, 16:25 GMT

Should be cracker of a game.

POSTED BY
nikhil_tawde
on | October 27, 2012, 16:26 GMT

Dilya Ghari Tu Sukhi Raha

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 17:48 GMT

i think the team team will chase that win the game..

POSTED BY
on | October 27, 2012, 19:40 GMT

Good final, cricket is finally getting big at club level like football. Hopefully it goes to that model completely to open the game up for everybody to play. Also for international cricket to only be played in 'meaningful' tournaments to make it more special again

POSTED BY
Sudhir65
on | October 27, 2012, 20:06 GMT

All thanks to IPL and BCCI which bankrolls this CL T20. Stop the hatred of BCCI and IPL.

POSTED BY
RoJayao
on | October 27, 2012, 22:43 GMT

Hate the IPL, really hate the BCCI and utterly loathe the CLT20! But go Sixers!